World Test Championship: South Africa captain Temba Bavuma on 'career highlight' of facing Australia in final

"Being the first of a lot of things comes with misunderstanding at times, and criticism," says Temba Bavuma, in a gentle tone.

South Africa's first black African captain is preparing to take on Australia in this week's ICC World Test Championship final at Lord's.

While the Proteas achieved number one in the world Test rankings in 2012, beating the defending champions in a showpiece final would be the country's most significant cricketing achievement.

Few people tip South Africa to win, but 35-year-old Bavuma is used to dealing with adversity.

He is acutely aware of his own significance as South Africa's first black African batter and first black African to score a Test century as well as the country's first black African captain.

All this during South Africa's post-apartheid era of transformation, where selection policies across domestic and international cricket have been influenced by racial quotas.

More than a decade on from his Test debut in 2014, it would be easy to understand if Bavuma is tired of talking about race. But he leans forward and speaks calmly and evenly about experiences that continue to shape him.

"The mere fact I was the first black African brought a different narrative and connotation to it," explains Bavuma.

"It can come with criticism. Sometimes unwarranted criticism. I haven't been short of that.

"As players of colour, when things are not good, when you haven't scored runs, or taken wickets, you're labelled as a quota player."

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